Clothesline brace



y 20, 1952 w. FELENCHAK 2,597,628

CLOTHESLINE BRACE Filed April 29, 1950 INVENTOR.

IMLWM Patented May 20, i952 CLOTHESLINE BRACE William Felenchak, Ansonia, Conn. Application April 29, 1950, Serial No. 159,112 (01. 254-198) 2 Claims.

My invention relates to a clothes line brace to be used in connection with a pulley clothes line of the type in which an endless clothes line runs over spaced pulleys.

An object of the invention is to provide a clothes line brace, one or more of which will be secured to the upper and lower portions of the line of a. pulley type clothes line, at spaced points, to distribute the weight or tension evenly along the brace contact points.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clothes line brace in which the upper and lower portions of the line are each between a line sheave and a, line roll thus preventing the clothes line from twisting and becoming difficult to untangle with wash on the line and also preventing the line from sawing in an up and down motion on the sides of the brace, thus prolonging the life of the line.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clothes line brace including a front plate and a back plate, a pivotal connection between the front and back plates, two sheaves secured to one of said plates at points on opposite sides of said pivot, two rolls secured to the other plate at points normally spaced from the sheaves by the thickness of the line and a latching means to normally keep the front and back plates in alignment.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are shown in the accompanying drawing, described in the following description and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a partially sectional view through my clothes line brace and a line, this view being taken on line l-l of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of my clothes line brace with the parts moved to the relative position that these parts would occupy while attaching the brace to the line or removing the brace from the line.

Fig. 3 is a view looking from the top of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of my clothes line brace with the parts in the relative positions of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view of a pulley type clothes line with clothes attached and two of my braces secured at spaced points of the line.

In the drawing, Fig. 5 shows a common type of clothes line with clothes attached. Two of my improved clothes line braces are connected to this line to distribute the weight or tension evenly along the brace contact points.

The details of my clothes line. brace are clearly brought out in Figs. 1 through' l' of the drawing. In these figures, l is a back plate and 2 is a front plate. A pivotal connection connects the front and back plates. This pivotal connection includes pivot housing 3. Pivot, housing 3 is secured to back plate- I, in any suitable way such as by projections. 4 of housing 3 and apertures. These projections extend through apertures in back plate i and are bent over. Pivot pin 5 is secured to front plate 2 in any suitable way such as by riveting as shown. Pivot pin 5 has an enlarged end 6 within pivot housing 3. A compression spring 1 bears on pivot housing 3 and on the enlarged end 6 of pivot pin 5. This pivotal connection permits front plate 2 to be moved away from back plate I and rotated.

Spindles 8 and 9 are secured to back plate I in some way such as by a riveted connection. Sheaves l0 and II are rotatably mounted upon spindles 8 and 9. The ends of spindles 8 and 9 are reduced in size and extend through apertures l2 and [3 in front plate 2. The ends of spindles 8 and 9 and apertures l2 and [3 normally keep the front plate from rotating about the pivotal connection. Spindles l4 and I5 are secured to the front plate in any way such as by a riveted connection. Rollers l6 and II are rotatably secured to spindles l4 and IS in any suitable way. Sheaves I0 and H are so spaced from rolls i6 and II that corresponding sheaves and rolls will normally be in contact with a line. It is to be noted that sheaves l0 and II are rollers of a special shape. One roller of each pair should be a sheave to keep the line from moving to the end of the rollers and prevent the line from rubbing against plate I or 2. Elements [6 and I! could be sheaves and If] and II cylindrical rollers or elements l0, I6, I! and H could all be sheaves.

To connect a brace to a clothes line or remove a brace from a clothes line, grasp back plate I in the left hand, grasp front plate 2 in the right hand. Pull plate 2 to remove the ends of spindles 8 and 9 from apertures l2 and i3 and rotate plate 2 to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The lines can then be put in place or removed. After putting the lines inplace the parts are returned to the relative positions of Figs. 1, 3 and 5.

In practice, I have found that the form of my invention illustrated in the drawing and referred to in the above description, is the most eificient and practical. Various minor changes spindle secured to one of said plates near each end thereof and extending toward the other plate, a spindle secured to the other plate near 7 each end thereof and extending toward the saidone plate, a roller on each spindle, one roller at each end of the plates having -aconcave peripheral outer surface, and interlocking means between the plates and the free ends of the spindles to normally keep the plates parallel-to each other, the rollers atueach end of the plates being spaced-slightly less than thethickness of aclothes line.

2. A clothesline brace including .a pair of, elongated plates spacedxfrom each. other, means.

pivotally connecting said platesnear the center thereof, saidlpivotal connecting means including means biasinglsaid plates towardzeach 017118138,- spindle secured to one of said plates near each.

4 end thereof and extending toward the other plate, a spindle secured to the other plate near each end thereof and extending toward the said one plate, a roller on each spindle, one roller at each end of the plates having a concave peripheral outer surface, and interlocking means between the plates and the free ends of the spindles to normally keep the plates parallel to each other, the rollers at each end of the plates being; spaced Slightly less; thanthe (thickness of a clothes line; said means comprising-reduced extended portions for the outermost spindles and openings in one of said plates for receiving said extended portions.

WILLIAM FELENCHAK.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date.

1,933,235 Werner, Oct 3l, 1933 FOREIGN- PATENTS Number Country Date 10,034. Great. Br tain ,.r 0:191 

